1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display element utilizing flexible substrates, methods of producing and storing liquid crystal display elements, and electronic equipment on which liquid crystal display elements are mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to use flexible substrates, such as plastic films, in liquid crystal display elements. Typically, however, such liquid crystal display elements are produced in the same manner as those using glass substrates. For instance, the edges of liquid crystal display elements using flexible substrates, such as plastic films, are typically not subjected to a gas barrier treatment. In addition, the liquid crystal material of liquid crystal display elements using flexible substrates are typically produced in the same manner as the liquid crystal material of liquid crystal display elements using glass substrates, i.e., without controlling the solubility and the degree of saturation of gas in the liquid crystal material. Still further, the typical number of spacers provided in liquid crystal display elements using flexible substrates, so as to space two substrates forming the elements from each other by a fixed distance, ranges from 100 to 150 spacers per mm.sup.2.
Liquid crystal display elements using flexible substrates, such as plastic films, typically have not been reclaimed (i.e., repaired) after the formation of a bubble renders them undesirable for use.
Liquid crystal display elements using flexible substrates, such as plastic films, have been stored at atmospheric pressure and temperature in the same way as liquid crystal display elements using glass substrates.
The structure of electronic equipment on which liquid crystal display elements comprised of flexible subtrates, such as plastic films, are mounted is such that external pressure is directly applied to the liquid crystal display elements in the same manner as the structure of electronic equipment on which liquid crystal display elements using glass substrates are mounted.